What's up with my IceCap ballast?

[Skipponator]

Noticed this yesterday on one of my IC 250 MH new styles, bought new, hooked into the ReefKeeper, one ballast will not turn on. Thought it was the bulb(PFO 13k) so I put in a Radium, still don't fire, unplug the ballast and plug it back in and it fired. Come home today and what is not on? My middle bulb, so I unplug the ballast and plug it back in and what works? The ballast. So think this is a IC problem or ReefKeeper problem?

If it's a RK problem, then it would be my 2nd issue with the RK running IC products.

-Skip

[spazz]

i would check the line voltage to the ballast. if your in an older house the line voltage might be low enough to not start the bulb all the time. does both ballasts fire at the same time? if so hook them up to fire at different times. or hook it to 2 different breakers. i was having the same problems with my icecaps. its a line voltage problem i think.

[Skipponator]

My house just turned 2 years old. I have 2 20amp circuits for my fish tank along with a 15 amp for that room only that I use, the tank is the only thing in the Fish room. The ballasts are set to fire at 4:15, 4:30, 4:45. I felt the ballasts, the one not firing was cold.

[David Grigor]

Have you tried, taking it off the RK and putting it back on just a regular timer to see if it turns on consistantly ? I personally find little advantage of putting the lights on the RK. Especially since mine looses time in a power outtage plus to balance the load on multiple circuits it was logical to move the lights back to outdoor timers.

[Skipponator]

I'll have to try that, so basically my RK will be almost of little use.

[David Grigor]

I primarily just wanted the temp controller portion and basically pays for itself with that function alone. The dual temp controller I used to have ( now on the church tank ) is only sensitive to 1 degree. RK being sensitive to the tenth is a nice bonus.

I do use the wavemaker and feed button on it too but lights are just too much of a power hog.......

Don't forget it looks pretty !

[jules77]

something else to try, I had two mogul sockets go bad in the early stages of my tank. You might switch the wires to a different mogul and see if that could be the problem.

[Skipponator]

Still hooked up to the RK worked fine tonight.